After reading Isaiah 43:1-7, please complete the following: "When I read verse 1, I feel…"
"Special (precious to God)"
What reason exists for not giving way to fear?
"God is with us."
Fill in the following blanks with the promises God made based on the following conditions.
When you pass through the waters, "I will be with you."
When you pass through the rivers, "they will not sweep over you."
When you walk through the fire, "you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."
Can you think of a time when you sensed God's presence the clearest? What were the circumstances?
"(Like Psalm 29:9) I always feel His presence in a nor'easter on Middle Bass Island. At times I have stood on the embankment overlooking the beach, and sung 'How Great Thou Art' at the top of my lungs into the wind (once in my nightgown) and I feel absolutely immersed in His glory.
Can you think of a time in your Christian life when you could not sense God's presence at all? What were the circumstances?
"Not that I can recall"
"Both together remind me of those few nights in high school when I felt especially lonely, and asked God to give me a hug, then felt especially loved and embraced by Him."
Read Psalm 139:7–12 and the promise in Hebrews 13:5. We obviously and fortunately cannot escape God's presence, but why do you think we experience times when we send God's presence more clearly than others?
"I think He gives us a heightened sense of His presence. In the midst of the moment He knows we most need it."
What did Christ say to one who insisted on seeing literal 'prints' in John 20:24-29?
"'…blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.'"
These steps are most challenging when we are delivered through frightening experiences rather than from them.
Read Matthew 14, 25-32. Did the wind die down before or after Christ told his disciples not to be afraid? "After" What would be the basis of their courage since the storm continued to rage? "faith in Jesus"
In Psalm 16:11, what did David confidently expect from God?
"Joy in God's presence, and eternal pleasures from Him."
The most wonderful set of fingerprints God left with his invisible hand is probably within your reach this very moment: you have His Word.
Write a simple prayer, asking Him to strengthen your faith and teach you how to enjoy Him to the fullest.
"Lord, I long since accepted You as absolute fact, but I definitely need and want to enjoy You more. Teach me how to enjoy spending time with You. Help me find learning about You to be fun, especially more fun than games, puzzles, or television."
Dearest Rachel -
Although I can't remember the year (they often run together, since they were at the same place each year after 2007), I do recall you telling me the following morning about the time you sang into the howling wind from the patio of the cottage as the storm swept over the island. I suppose you could have gone out to the edge of the property overlooking the lake, even at night, as the wind would have precluded the horde of mosquitos that otherwise dominated the nights over there to the point where we rarely left the house when it got dark. Given what I could see of the weather and the waves during the daytime, I can sort of understand how you could see the power of God in those events (and how you would have absolutely embarrassed the disciples with your faith in Him during those moments – although in their defense, the didn't have the knowledge of how the story would go like we do).
Unlike you, I have to admit to rarely feeling a sense of God's presence myself; even worse, it never occurs to me to ask that I might have a better perception of it. Honestly, I rather assume that it's due to having been a Christian since childhood, and not having any memory of a time when He wasn't part of my life. Without an understanding of what His absence feels like, it may just be that He is always there with me, it may well be that, unless I make an effort to deliberately think about His presence, it blends into the background like the air around me, completely escaping my notice.
Of course, when I do think about Him, I try not to be overcome with 'older brother syndrome,' like the character in the parable of the prodigal son. If nothing else, the Father has certainly allowed me a share of His goats for me to celebrate with my friends and family. But I also take heart in that I am still covered by His blessing for those of us who were not around to see what He accomplished personally. I don't know who said it (and I think it had more to do with political figures than religious ones), but it's well put that, in so many cases, "for those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who do not, no proof is possible." I'm glad (albeit it not proud) to be part of the former group, and while Thomas may have been able to move from the latter to the former, he was certainly an exception. Meanwhile, the Jewish leaders proved Jesus' point from His story of the rich man and Lazarus, being unable to accept even when one rises from the dead. I shudder to imagine their fate upon meeting the Almighty.
And while you must be enjoying His presence these days, I know how it was a struggle to do what you had been assigned to do sometimes. There have been entries in these books that have been blank, indicating days when you fell behind or missed a day (or week) and had to (or decided not to) play catch-up. There were for you (just as it is for all of us) times when meeting with Him was (is) more of a chore, a duty to fulfill, rather than a getting together with a Friend. At least now you must be able to see the fun in it; here's hoping I can grasp that better for myself.
For now, keep an eye on me, honey, and wish me luck. I'm going to need it.
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